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#ad: cutting through the astroturf

The new ASA guidance also states that any paid-for Twitter endorsements must use the hashtag "#ad" in order to distinguish the tweet as advertising, a requirement which is consistent with good practice in other jurisdictions. This may be a response to the practice of "astroturfing" - using social media to create a false impression of grassroots support for a product or business when, in fact, comments are made by individuals paid by the business (whether as employees or otherwise). However, the guidance does not elaborate on exactly when the hashtag would be required, including whether the hashtag is required when a person tweets about a product that he or she received for free.

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